Equation of Faith
October 19, 2009
So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead. James 2:17
The equation of faith is this: Belief + Trust = Belief.
Belief is what we do with our heads and our hearts; trust is what we do with our bodies. Belief weighs facts, judges experiences and then comes to a conclusion. This is what I believe.
Trust leads to action. I recall being in the passenger seat when one of my younger sisters was learning to drive. She had taken driver’s ed. She had been on the road with my mom and they had returned home safely. I believed she could drive. But to have faith in her ability meant closing the car door, buckling my seat belt and letting her get on the road.
Do we believe that God cares about children who go to bed hungry? To believe that but to do nothing about it is to have belief but not trust. In that case, as James says, faith is dead.
When we not only believe something about God but also trust God, we are ready to invest our time, talent and treasure. We are ready to take risks and make sacrifices because we trust God is our partner. Action makes faith come alive.
Faith is like gears connected to a waterwheel. The waterwheel is our belief; flowing water is our trust. Without trust, the wheel stands still, useless. But when water flows, the wheel turns, the gears move, grain is ground into flour, and we are ready to make bread to feed the hungry.
By: Bruce A. Yoder
YMCA of Greater Richmond